2011 Florida Remediation Conference Recap and Review

Contributed by Drew Baird, PG, Atlantic Region Manager, REGENESIS

Regenesis attended the 17^th annual Florida Remediation Conference last week in Orlando along with approximately 450 other participants. There were 20 platform presentations given at the event, and a common thread among many of the talks was integrated remediation – leveraging the benefits of multiple technologies toward achieving site cleanup goals. Notable examples included presentations by Handex Consulting & Remediation (HCR) and Black & Veatch. Tim Harmon, PE with HCR presented on a multi-technology approach to a tanker spill – actually, 2 separate tanker spills on the same site over a 2½-year period – along the Florida Turnpike. In addition to excavation and dual-phase extraction, HCR used RegenOx® and ORC Advanced® for an effective ISCO-bio treatment that demonstrated rapid, 10x contaminant reductions soon after application and a significant reduction in the plume footprint. The HCR analysis included an insightful carbon footprint analysis of several technologies. Cal Butler, PG and Ernie Mott-Smith, PE from Black & Veatch tag-teamed a presentation on a naphthalene cleanup project in Pensacola that effectively demonstrated that aerobic bioremediation is capable of treating high contaminant concentration levels of over 15 mg/L naphthalene. The Black & Veatch team used multiple lines of evidence – geochemistry, molecular biological tools, and contaminant concentrations – to verify performance during the biosparging project, which employed horizontal directional drilling for sparge well installation.

Speaking of multiple lines of evidence, David Riotte, PE and Rachel Klinger, EI of Geosyntec presented an interesting study in vapor-phase transport of PCE at a dry cleaner site in Tallahassee. The study demonstrated that “vapor extrusion” from the dry cleaner contributed to vadose zone contamination beneath the facility. One of the themes of the talk was how conceptual site models often evolve during remediation projects as new information becomes available. Geosyntec presented on this theme during last year’s conference, and the clear take-home message is that project managers and site owners should build flexibility into site remediation plans to account for the evolving picture of the site as remediation proceeds.

Probably the best-attended session of the conference featured two new appointees at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Jorge Caspary, PG is the new Director of the Division of Waste Management, and Robert Brown, PE is the new Chief for the Bureau of Petroleum Storage Systems (BPSS). The Q&A session covered several topics, including risk-based closure standards, performance-based contracting for site remediation, long-term natural attenuation monitoring for low risk sites, institutional controls and deed restrictions, among other items. With respect to vapor intrusion, BPSS currently has draft guidance available, but further development of final guidance at BPSS or other Waste Cleanup program sites will be tabled until US EPA OSWER issues final vapor intrusion guidance, which is expected in 2012.

Another successful Florida Remediation Conference goes in the books. Next up – the Florida Brownfields Association 14^th Annual Conference in downtown Orlando on November 13-16. Look for a recap after the event.

In the meantime, please leave your comments below!